ABOUT US
The ACOS Alliance (A Culture Of Safety Alliance) is a unique global coalition of 160+ news organizations, journalist associations and press freedom NGOs working together to champion safe and responsible journalism practices.
The Alliance’s mission is to embed a culture of safety within journalism so that independent media and journalists globally can play their essential role in upholding democracy.
We believe that safety is a prerequisite for a strong, independent media - the backbone of democracy. We focus on the safety of freelance and local journalists because they play an essential role within newsgathering and are the most vulnerable in a profession that is increasingly at risk of violence, threats and harassment.
ACOS ACTIVITIES
Our work is organized across three interlinked Program Pillars:
1. Coordination and Collaboration
We harness our unique, diverse and influential network to foster dialogue around journalist safety issues, share resources and expertise, and create opportunities for innovation and partnership.
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The ACOS Annual Safety Coordination Meeting has become an effective, go-to calendar fixture for advancing journalist safety, with a track record for creative opportunities for purposeful collaboration, driving innovaton and fostering practical initiatives.
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Our annual Safety Mapping Project is helping press freedom NGO’s gain a more detailed understanding of the global safety training landscape, identifying gaps and facilitating greater collaboration.
2. Practical Safety Solutions
All ACOS safety initiatives are collaborations. We work with a wide network of signatories and partners to design and deliver practical safety initiatives that help editors, managers and journalists implement the Freelance Journalist Safety Principles and embed a culture of safety into their everyday working practices.
Each initiative is designed to democratize access to safety resources, training and expertise for freelancers and under-resourced journalists and newsrooms, and is tailored to meet regional, local and thematic needs.
These include:
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Safety Training courses and workshops for journalists and editors
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One to one Safety Clinics
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The ACOS Newsroom Program
In 2025, 365 journalists and editors completed a safety training course, workshop or safety clinic.
3. Network Advocacy & Engagement
As a leading voice in journalist safety, ACOS advocates for safe and responsible practices within newsgathering, raises awareness of the Freelance Journalist Safety Principles among news leaders and journalists, and builds safety champions through our Signatory organizations.
We participate in journalism festivals, conferences and safety coalitions, such as the Coalition Against Online Violence, and build partnerships with other networks, such as IFEX and the Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD) to expand our reach into new and under-represented regions.
OUR STORY
The kidnapping and brutal murders of freelance journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff in Syria in summer 2014 led to the creation of the ACOS Alliance.
In September 2014, a group of news editors held private meetings in New York and Chicago to discuss how they should respond to the killing of James and Steven and how to better protect and promote the safety of freelance journalists - many of whom were working without any official safety net.
During the following months, a volunteer committee made up of representatives of the Frontline Freelance Register, Reuters, The Associated Press, the Dart Center, GroundTruth Project and the Overseas Press Club drafted the Freelance Journalist Safety Principles, a document aimed at news organizations and freelancers alike which outlines a set of safety standards that both parties should undertake and expect as a standard work environment. The six organizations whose representatives drafted the principles became its first signatories.
Soon after, with the additional support of organisations, including the Committee to Protect Journalists, the Frontline Freelance Register, the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation, Reporters without Borders and the Rory Peck Trust, the ACOS Alliance was created to help news organisations, editors and freelance and local journalists globally implement the Freelance Journalist Safety Principles and embed a culture of safety within their everyday working practices.
Today, 170 organizations are signatories to the ACOS Alliance and the Freelance Journalist Safety Principles.